Soft Steel
by Piece of Peace
Summary: Heero is a businessman who agrees to 'look after' Relena, an android whoor that may know secrets to Quat're assassination attempt. The two of them learn about themselves and each other. But Relena may be learning too much...


Chapter 1

(Heero is a successful businessman who has put much of his past behind him. One night because of a friend, he meets an android named Relena, and together they learn about themselves as well as their ownselves. She comes to think that it must be wonderful to be human. But is Relena learning too much?)

Heero Yuy was driving his car to his boss's residence that evening. His boss Quatre Raberba Winner was the CEO of Winner Enterprises, a famous and prominent international company that made and sold all kinds of products. He was only a young man about his age but had inherited his father's corporate empire upon his death so all his property and wealth went to him. Quatre was also a man who liked to discuss business in person so that was why he called him. Heero made it to the front gate.

"It's Heero Yuy" he said to the speaker on the wall. That said, the electronic gates opened and he drove through and parked at the front door. Quatre's house was large and luxurious. It's elegant design and fancy, expensive material made it a mansion worthy for a king. But this was somewhat modest for someone of Quatre's wealth. If he wanted, his house could have been a whole city of palaces and mansions. Heero walked up the steps and went inside.

"Good evening Master Heero. I'm glad that you could make it" said Rashid, Quatre's tall and powerfully built butler greeting him as he walked in the lobby. Rashid had been serving the Winner family for years and was very well-trusty by the family and thier friends.In addition to that, there were forty others in Quatre's service."Please go to the living room. Master Quatre will be with you shortly" he said. He did so. After sitting down on one of the very comfortable leather couches for a few minutes, Quatre came in.

"Heero, I'm glad that you're here. If you want, I can ask my servants to make dinner and-" But Heero held up a hand.

"Thanks Quatre, but I'm not hungry right now. If you can, please let's get straight to business."

"Alright, if you insist" Quatre took a seat beside him and explained. His face grew serious.

"It seems I have enemies. There are people who are working in secret to kill me. I need your help Heero."

Heero never expected such a thing from Quatre. Someone wanted to kill him?

"Kill you?" he asked incredulously. "Why would someone want to kill you Quatre? How do you know this?"

"I just don't know why… anyways, it was about 2 or three weeks ago when someone left a bomb under my car, but luckily it exploded before I got in it. Right now, I need you to look after someone. Can you do that for me?"

"Who?"

"She's a friend of mine who knows something about this conspiracy. I need a safe place for her to stay so that she'll be alive when I need her help. And I trust you" Quatre said.

Now Heero was unsure of what to do. Someone wanted to kill Quatre and now he was going to harbor someone mixed up in all this… and get himself involved? He thought hard for a moment. Would that affect his safety?

"I don't want to get involved. I'm sure you have other friends so-"

"But you're the only one that's capable of the job Heero. I know I have other friends, but you're the only one that can do this. And it's perfect. A top corporate exective like you doesn't live in a big house. Your apartment will be the least suspected place in the whole world."

"Is she gonna bring trouble along?" Heero asked. If there was one thing he knew about women, they were full of trouble.

"No" Quatre answered. "No one will know that she's with you. And it'll only be until I get someone to put an end to this conspiracy and no more threats to my life will take place."

Heero thought again for a moment. He remembered how a few years back when he had been broke and almost penniless despite having graduated at a premier university in both business and art, each with a master's degree. One day, he had begged for employment at a restaurant which was owned by Winner Enterprises but was being refused it. That was when he met Quatre's father who just happened to be having lunch there had sensed something special in him he said. After talking for sometime, he agreed to hire him as an employeein Winner Enterprises. Over the next several months, Mr. Winner eventually let him be in charge of a whole subdivision in the city. He had never done anything in return while the kind man was still alive. So if this was going to save his son's life, he would have no choice.

"Alright Qutare. I owe your father for helping me when I really needed it. I'll take her now then."

"That's great Heero" he said some relief taken off his face and got up from the couch. "I'll introduce you to her. Come with me." Quatren then led Heero through his grand house to what he recognized as the guest rooms. He went to a door and knocked.

"Relena, it's me. He's here to take you now." he said. Moments later, the door opened. The girl who appeared was a long honey blonde haired young woman with cool, evening eyes. Her height was a good one, meaning it was about his height. She was very pretty too. But unfortunately, it was too bad he had no interest in her. He had never set eyes on another woman since the first and only girlfriend he ever had. She looked at him indifferently with expressionless eyes and face.

"Heero, this is Relena and Relena, this is Heero.

"Nice to meet you Mr. Heero" Relena said also indifferently. It was a serious, steady, and strange tone of voice. Although her voice wassoft and had a lyrical quality.

"We met right after my assassination attempt. The guards caught her aftermy carblew up" Quatre explained. "She's a very interesting person" he said for the first as if everything were ok since he explained how he had almost been killed.

"I have a correction to make Mr. Quatre. The definition of a person is someone who is a living human being. A more proper reference term for me would be thing or machine" Relena explained.

"What do you mean?" Heero asked.

"I am an android" was her answer. Now Heero was more surprised than he had been with Quatre's story earlier.

"An android? You're kidding…"

"I'm sorry but I'm not kidding" Relena said.

"The reason why she needs to stay with you is because I want you to keep her away from whoever's trying to kill me. I got my technicians to take a look at her and they haven't been able to learn very much. But she is a very expensive product who must be worth at least hundreds of millions. She has a self-learning capacity that works almost as much a human's but we don't know if the memory has a limit or not. And surprisingly, when we caught her, she didn't resist and cooperated. Now she just needs to stay with you and keep a low profile."

Trying to be polite, Heero offered his hand for a shake. Relena looked down for a second and then accepted. Heero realized that after he had to shake first, that Relena didn't understand what was going on. But was able to soon enough and returned the shake.

"It's nice to meet you Relena" he said.

"A pleasure to meet you as well" she replied.


End file.
